Dishwasher Microfilter Ultrasonic Self-Cleaning and Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dishwashers require frequent manual cleaning of microfilters to prevent debris accumulation, which can lead to humidity issues and microbial proliferation due to the closed structure, necessitating a solution for automatic filter cleaning and sterilization.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an ultrasonic generator at the sump to automatically clean the microfilter by producing cavitation in the water, combined with a sump circulation module that uses hot water for intensified sterilization, allowing for periodic cleaning and sterilization without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a microfilter is installed at the sump to filter out small debris, then the circulation pump is protected from debris, but the microfilter requires frequent manual cleaning due to debris accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The microfilter is equipped with an ultrasonic generator that automatically cleans the filter screen by generating ultrasonic vibrations. This self-cleaning mechanism eliminates the need for frequent manual intervention to remove debris from the filter, allowing the system to maintain itself during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
An ultrasonic generator is installed at the microfilter to produce high-frequency mechanical vibrations. These ultrasonic vibrations create cavitation effects in the water surrounding the filter screen, which effectively dislodge and remove accumulated debris without requiring manual cleaning.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the dishwasher maintains a closed structure to retain heat during washing, then energy efficiency is improved, but humidity and microbial proliferation increase in the sump area
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic generator operates continuously or periodically during and after washing cycles to maintain cleanliness in the sump area. This continuous action prevents microbial proliferation by constantly disrupting biofilm formation and debris accumulation, while the closed structure maintains heat efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of water in the sump through ultrasonic cavitation, creating extreme local temperature and pressure conditions that are hostile to microbial growth. This allows the closed environment to remain thermally efficient while preventing biological contamination.
3Reliability
If multiple filters (microfilter, coarse filter, fine filter) are installed to thoroughly filter debris, then pump protection is enhanced, but device complexity and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic generator is integrated with the microfilter assembly, combining the filtering function and cleaning function into a single integrated unit. This reduces the overall complexity by eliminating the need for separate manual cleaning mechanisms for each filter type.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-filter system is equipped with ultrasonic cleaning capability that automatically maintains all filter screens. This self-service feature simplifies operation by eliminating the need for users to manually disassemble and clean multiple filters, reducing the perceived complexity despite the presence of multiple filtering stages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ultrasonic generator effectively cleans the microfilter without manual effort, while the hot water and ultrasonic waves ensure thorough sterilization of the sump and filters, maintaining a clean environment and reducing microbial growth.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic generator (26) which radiates ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter (22) so as to automatically clean the microfilter (22), by producing cavitation in the water
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic generator (26) which radiates ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter (22)
Implementation Method 3
a sump circulation module (30) which supplies the hot water to the sump (15) so as to perform sterilization
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A dishwasher including a washing chamber (11a) to wash dishes, a sump (15) formed at a lower portion of the washing chamber to collect water used in washing, a microfilter (22) disposed at the sump to filter out dirt produced when the dishes are washed, and an ultrasonic generator (26) to radiate ultrasonic waves toward the microfilter. Since the microfilter is automatically cleaned by the ultrasonic generator, a user does not need to routinely manually clean the microfilter.